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ANCA-WR Participates in California Democrat Party Annual Convention

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  • ANCA-WR Participates in California Democrat Party Annual Convention

    Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
    104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Phone: 818.500.1918
    Fax: 818.246.7353
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    May 9, 2007

    Contact: Haig Hovsepian
    Tel: (818) 500-1918


    ANCA-WR Participates in California Democratic Party Annual Convention


    San Diego, CA - As part of the Armenian National Committee of America -
    Western Region's (ANCA-WR) ongoing efforts of reaching out to political
    party leadership and membership to ensure that Armenian American issues
    are appropriately addressed by local, state, and federal
    representatives, the ANCA-WR participated in the recently held
    California Democratic Party Annual Convention.

    Representatives from the board of directors, ANCA-WR staff, and interns
    joined the California Democratic Party for its 2007 annual convention in
    San Diego last week. The convention was the first of the year for the
    party and featured the welcoming and orientation of new party delegates
    including ANCA-WR Board Member, Aida Dimejian, an appointee of CA State
    Assemblymember Anthony Portantino. The ANCA-WR also hosted an exhibitor
    booth at the event where ANCA-WR Community Relations Director Haig
    Hovsepian worked with ANCA-WR intern Hovhannes Harutyunyan as well as
    South Bay ANC Chair, Chris Yemenidjian to help introduce the
    organization and Armenian American issues to convention attendees.

    "The ANCA-WR is the largest Armenian American public policy organization
    in California - this organization is committed to full participation in
    the political process," stated Andrew Kzirian, Executive Director of the
    ANCA-WR. "The ANCA-WR shall continue playing a strong role - through
    heightened and active convention participation in both party conventions
    - to fully represent the concerns of the Armenian American community,"
    he added.

    Dimejian participated in the delegate orientation programs and meetings
    and attended the convention addresses to the delegates. Speakers
    included party members, candidates and officials such as Presidential
    candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Christopher Dodd, John
    Edwards, and Dennis Kucinich as well as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
    Meanwhile, Hovsepian discussed the organization and issues with
    delegates visiting the ANCA-WR's booth while Harutyunyan helped
    distribute information regarding the ANCA's "Click for Justice" campaign
    - urging the US House leadership to take immediate action on the
    Armenian Genocide resolution in the US House, H. Res. 106, and related
    genocide legislation.

    "As a delegate to this convention, I truly appreciated the opportunity
    to meet leaders of the Democratic Party and discuss contemporary
    political issues," stated Assemblymember Portantino's appointee, ANCA-WR
    Board Member Aida Dimejian. "It is important to be equally engaged in
    federal, state and local politics to fully partake in the civic
    process," she added.

    Yemenidjian took the opportunity to thank Senator Clinton for her recent
    cosponsorship of the Armenian Genocide resolution in the US Senate, S.
    Res. 106. Dimejian also met with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom,
    thanking him for recently working with the San Francisco Bay Area ANC to
    sponsor an Armenian Genocide commemoration ceremony. Dimejian also
    thanked him for his recent letter to Speaker Pelosi urging her to
    promptly call H. Res. 106 to a vote.

    Hovsepian and Dimejian thanked northern California Congresswoman Barbara
    Lee for her support of H. Res. 106 and southern California Congressman
    Adam Schiff for his leadership in addressing the Armenian Genocide,
    particularly his recent questioning of Secretary of State Condoleeza
    Rice during a US House Appropriations subcommittee hearing.

    The group also had the opportunity to meet with several other local
    elected officials including Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian and
    former Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian as well as CA State Assembly
    Members Anthony Portantino and Paul Krekorian who also took time to
    visit the ANCA-WR booth on the convention floor.

    "As we settle into the new legislative term, we are happy to participate
    in this convention with friends and advocates from the Armenian National
    Committee taking the lead in raising awareness about Armenian American
    issues. Additionally, it is important to set an example of the value of
    civic engagement and service by serving the Californian community as
    conference attendees, delegates and elected officials," said Hovsepian.

    The ANCA-WR also attended the 2006 California Democratic Party
    Convention in Sacramento. Since then the ANCA-WR has also participated
    in both semi-annual conventions hosted by the California Republican
    Party.

    The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
    influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
    in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
    throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
    world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
    community on a broad range of issues.

    ###

    Photo #1 Caption: Hovsepian and Dimejian with US Representative Barbara
    Lee (center, left).

    Photo #2 Caption: Harutyunyan with CA State Assembly Member Paul
    Krekorian (right).

    Photo #3 Caption: Dimejian with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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